Block for supporting rail fasteners and rail fixing means incorporating said block



Nov. 26, 1963 R. vu r-: 3,112,071

BLOCK FOR PPORTIN ENERS AND RAIL FIXING NS IN SAID BLOCK T w m FTG N M 0 0m SM? ma P CR i United States Patent 3,112,071 BLOCK FOR SUPPORTING RAIL FASTENERS AND RAIL FlXlNG MEANS INCQRPGRATiNG SAID BLOCK Roger Paul Sonnevilie, 5 Ave. Leonie, Saint-Cloud, France Filed June 30, 1961, See. No. 121,185 Claims priority, application France May 5, 1961 7 Claims. (Cl. 238-343) The present invention relates to railways and has for object to eliminate or reduce difiiculties encountered in the use of rails of different types and in the laying of rails at different track widths.

Although a standardization of railway tracks has been in process for several years, numerous railway systems continue to use in railway lines carrying the same traffic both new rails and rails of old type still in good condition. It is furthermore considered logical to use rails the size of which varies in accordance with the trafiic (loads and speeds) supported by the lines concerned. Further, the width between two rails of the same railway track, defined for the normal projection in plan of the track, is only valid for straight lines or large-radius bends. This width must be capable of being increased when the curvature of the railway track increases, so as to facilitate the inscription of the rolling stock if it is desired to restrict lateral wear of the rails and the resistance offered by the axles to the driving means.

The rail fastening means, and in particular the sleepers or ties which constitute the support therefor, must therefore be adaptable to the use of different rails and to different track widths. Although it is still possible in the case of wood ties to notch them and drill them specially to achieve this adaptation, this is not true for concrete tie-s.

It is therefore necessary to provide for the manufacture and storage of various types of ties, which is a serious handicap.

The object of the invention is to overcome this disadvantage and to permit use of a single type of concrete tie for rails having very difierent cross-sectional shapes and for the various track widths required by the normal laying of the track in a straight line and the laying of tracks of increased Widths for curves or bends irrespective of their radii.

In a widely-used type of reinforced concrete tie, the rails are fixed to the tie by fasteners bearing at one end on the flange of the rail and journalled or pivotally mounted at their other end in a block disposed in a cavity in the tie, the fasteners being clamped down in their middle part by a belt which freely pivots in the tie in a direction perpendicular to the rail.

The invention concerns this type of rail fastening means. It has been found that it could be very easily adapted to the solution of the problems mentioned hereinbefore, by a modification of one of its elements: the block or pad.

The block of this rail fastening means, such as it has been constructed heretofore, comprises in its centre a cup or recess, the curvature of which marries up with or matches that of the loop of the fastener disposed therein so as to afiord the pivotable mounting of the latter.

According to the invention, the cup of the block is offset in the direction of one of the longitudinal edges of the latter so that, according as this edge is directed in one direction or the other, the seating of the rail fastener is disposed nearer or further away from the axis of the rail.

This arrangement therefore provides with a single type of tie the adaptation necessary for the varying track widths of the rails or for the various types of rails. It will be observed that in the case of varying types of rails,

3,1 12,071 Patented Nov. 26, 1963 the block according to the invention permits taking into account not only the difference in width of the flanges of the rails but also the diiference in their thickness. Indeed, as the bottom of the cavity formed in the tie and in which the block is disposed may be inclined, turning this block round in the cup modifies the height of the cup in the required direction.

Apart from the block, the invention also concerns the rail fixing means of the aforementioned type incorporating this block.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description, with reference to the accompanying drawing to which the invention is in no Way limited.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a rail fastening means according to the invention used with one type of rail;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the means shown in 'FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively showing the rail fastening means used with another type of rail, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the block according to the invention.

The rail fastening means of the invention for the rail R comprises (FIG. 1) the following main elements: a reinforce-d concrete sleeper or tie T, fasteners A for holding the rail down on the tie, bearing blocks or pads C supporting the fasteners, and bolts B for clamping down the latter.

Each fastener A comprises two elastically yieldable or resilient strips 1 and 2 interconnected by a part-cylindrical loop 3. The upper strip 1 bears against the flange 4 of the rail R, which latter rests against the tie with the interposition of an elastically yicldable pad 5. The lower strip 2 performs the function of a lateral abutment for the flange 4. The loop 3 is journalled or pivotal-1y mounted in a semi-cylindrical cup, cavity :or recess 6 formed in the block C, the latter being disposed in a cavity formed in the tie, the bottom 7 of which cavity is downwardly inclined toward the cor-responding rail.

Each bolt B comprises a head 5 mounted in the tie in such manner that the bolt is pivotable in a vertical plane perpendicular to the rail. A vertical passageway 9 provided in the concrete and having sufficient width, allows this pivotable movement. The bolt B extends through the strips 1 and 2 by way of aligned elongated apertures 10 and receives a nut 11 which bears against the strip 1. Said nut thus causes the latter to bend so that at the end of clamping down this strip provides two lines of contact on the flange of the rail, the first line being at the free end of the strip and the second nearer the edge of the rail flange.

According to the invention, the cup 6 of the block C is provided in a dissyrrunetrical manner in the latter in that it is eccentric relative to the axis of the block and oilset toward one of the longitudinal edges or faces 12 of the latter. The other longitudinal edge or face 13 advantageously comprises a recess 14 the function of which will be explained hereinafter.

The block C can be of any natural or synthetic material capable of damping the vibrations due to the rolling stock and resisting without creep the clamping forces of the fastener; this material could be, for example, rubber or some other elestomer. Furthermore, it could have a section other than the trapezoidal section shown in the drawing.

The operation and advantages of the block according to the invention are clear from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 with FIGS. 3 and 4.

The rail R shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a flange 4 which is wider and thinner than that of the rail R shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Owing to this difference in the widths of the flanges, their edges are disposed at diflerent distances from the axis XX of the aperture 9, which implies shifting the fasteners A and A if the geometric track-laying conditions are to be satisfied. This adjustment is made possible by the block C according to the invention. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the block is so disposed that its longitudinal edge 12 is adjacent the aperture 9. This position corresponds to a distance a between the axis 0 of the cup 6 and the axis XX. The seating of the loop 3 in the cup 6 determines the position of the fastener apertures 10. Owing to the elongated shape of these apertures and the pivotal mounting of the bolt B, the latter can be brought to the appropriate position for extending through the fastener. Indeed, it is sufficient to pivot the bolt axis YY through an angle a from the axis XX.

In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the block C has been turned through 180, its edge 13 now being adjacent the axis XX. This position corresponds to a new distance b between the axis 0 of the cup 6 and the axis XX, the distance 11 being greater than the distance a owing to the eccentricity of the cup 6. This arrangement permits taking into account the fact that the edge of the flange of the rail R is nearer the axis XX. To suit the new position of the apertures 10 of the fastener, it is merely necessary to pivot the axis Y'Y of the bolt B through an angle [3 from the axis XX in the opposite direction. The recess 14in the block C permits increasing the possibilities of pivoting the bolt B in this case.

It will be observed, moreover, that, by turning round the block C, it is possible to modify the distance between the axis 0 of the cup 6 and the upper face of the tie T. This distance c in FIGS. 1 and 2 increases to the distance d in FIGS. 3 and 4, which takes into account the greater thickness of the flange of the rail R The difference between b and c is a function of the angle 7 between the bottom 7 of the cavity in the tie which houses the block C and the upper face of the tie and of the eccentricity of the cup 6. In utilizing these two factors, it is possible to adapt the variation in the height of the axis 0 above the tie, obtained when turning round the block, to the conditions that are known to be encountered in a given nailway system. Thus, if :6, the variation in this height is zero, which is desirable when the various rails likely to be used do not have a substantially different flange thickness.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the invention permits solving, by use of a single tie, the various problems encountered in the laying of different rails or of nails at different track widths.

Thus, although in the case described the rails R and R are markedly different, they can be laid without difficulty on the same tie. Moreover the fasteners A and A used in the two cases can even be very similar to one another. Indeed, as the strip 2 is identical in both cases, the shifting of the axis 0 obtained when the block C is turned round, enables this strip to perform its function of a lateral abutment for both the rail R and the rail R The essential difference between the fasteners A and A is thus the different lengths of their strip 1, the strip 1 of the fastener A being longer so that its lines of contact on the flange of the rail R are suitably disposed on this flange.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Rail fastening means comprising a railway tie on which the rail to be fastened is supported, a cavity formed in the tie and having an upwardly extending abutment face facing the rail, a block disposed in the cavity in a 4} first position and having an axis which occupies a given position in plan relative to the tie in which given position the axis is parallel with the rail, a first face on the block in abutting relation to the abutment face, a second face on the block on the opposite side of the axis in plan to the first face and capable of abutting the abutment face when the block is withdrawn from the cavity, turned through 180 in plan and put back in the cavity in a second position in which said axis again occupies said given position relative to the tie, the abutment of either of said faces with the abutment face preventing the block from moving relative to the tie in a direction away from the rail, an upper face on the block and a recess in the upper face, a rail fastener having one end disposed in the recess, clampin" means mounted in the tie and in clamping relation to the fastener for holding the latter down against the rail, said recess being offset from said axis in plan toward said first face whereby the recess can be placed nearer the rail by turning the block round and placing it in said second position.

2. Rail fastenin means comprising a railway tie on which the rail to be fastened is supported, a cavity formed in the tie and having an upwardly extending abutment face facing the rail, a block disposed in the cavity in a first position and having an axis which occupies a given position in plan relative to the tie in which given position the axis is parallel with the rail, a first face on the block in abutting relation to the abutment face, a second face on the block on the opposite side of the axis in plan to the first face and capable of abutting the abutment face when the block is withdrawn from the cavity, turned through 180 in plan and put back in the cavity in a second position in which said axis again occupies said given position relative to the tie, the abutment of either of said faces with the abutment face preventing the block from moving relative to the tie in a direction away from the rail, an upper face on the block and a recess in the upper face, a rail fastener having one end disposed in the recess, a bolt mounted in the tie for pivotal movement in a plane perpendicular to the rail and in clamping relation to the fastener for holding the latter down against the flange of the rail, said recess being offset from said axis in plan toward said first face whereby the recess can be placed nearer the rail by turning the block round and placing it in said second position, and a recess in said second face of the block in said plane of pivotal movement of the bolt so that the block clears the bolt in said first position of the block.

3. Rail fastening means comprising a railway tie on which the rail to be fastened is supported, a pad which has a bottom face bearing on the tie and has a central axis perpendicular to the bottom face, a first lateral face and a second lateral face parallel with the first face and located on the opposite side of the axis but at the same distance from the axis as the first face, a top face and a groove which is formed in the top face and is parallel with the rail, a rail fastener having one end engaged in the groove and another end bearing on the flange of the rail, a bolt mounted in the tie and in clamping relation to the fastener for holding the latter down against the flange of the rail, an abutment integral with the tie and having an upwardly extending abutment face, the first face of the pad being in abutting relation to the abutment face so that the pad is prevented from moving along the tie away from the rail, the groove being offset from the axis toward the first face and the second face being capable of abutting the abutment face when the pad is lifted off the tie and turned round through 180 about said axis and placed back on the tie, whereby the groove can be if desired shifted toward the rail for different rail fastening conditions.

4. Rail fastening means comprising a railway tie on which the rail to be fastened is supported, a pad which has a bottom face bearing on the tie and has a central axis perpendicular to the bottom face, a first lateral face and a second lateral face parallel with the first face and located on the opposite side of the axis but at the same distance from the axis as the first face, a top face and a groove which is formed in the top face and is parallel with the rail, a rail fastener having one end engaged in the groove and another end bearing on the flange of the rail, a bolt mounted in the tie and in clamping relation to the fastener for holding the latter down against the flange of the rail, an abutment integral with the tie and having an upwardly extending abutment face, the first face of the pad being in abutting relation to the abutment face so that the pad is prevented from moving along the tie away from the rail, the groove being olfset from the axis toward the first face and the second face being capable of abutting the abutment face when the pad is lifted off the tie and turned round through '180" about said axis and placed back on the tie, whereby the groove can be if desired shifted toward the rail for different rail fastening conditions, and a seating face which is formed on the tie and adjoins the abutment face and is contained in a plane which is downwardly inclined in the direction toward the rail and is parallel with the rail, said bottom face of the block resting on the seating face, whereby when the groove is shifted toward the rail by putting the second face in abutting relation to the abutment face the groove automatically assumes a lower position relative to the rail.

5. A block for use in combination with a railway tie having a cavity for receiving said block, a rail and a rail fastener for fastening said rail to said railway tie having an arcuate end portion, said block having a longitudinal axis and being defined by six faces, said faces consisting of a top face, a bottom face, a first lateral face, a second lateral face and two end faces, said top face, bottom face and lateral faces extending in directions parallel with said axis, said top face having an elongated recess therein for receiving and engaging said end portion of said rail fastener, said recess being disposed nearer to said first lateral face than to said second lateral face, and said lateral faces constituting abutment faces for abutting against the tie when housed in said cavity.

6. A block according to claim 5, in which said block comprises a central recess intermediate said end faces and disposed on said second lateral face.

7. A block for use in combination with a railway tie, a rail having a cavity for receiving said block, a rail and a rail fastener for fastening said rail to said railway tie, having an arcuate end portion, said block having a longitudinal axis and being defined by six faces, said faces consisting of a top face, a bottom face, a first lateral face, a second lateral face and two end faces, the top face, bottom face and lateral faces extending in directions parallel with said axis, the top face having an elongated rectilinear recess therein, said recess being arcuate in cross section for receiving and engaging said end portion of said rail fastener, said recess being disposed nearer to said first lateral face than to said second lateral face, and said lateral faces constituting abutment faces for abutting against the tie when housed in said cavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 652,305 Great Britain Apr. 18, 1951 801,912 Great Britain Sept. 24, 1958 202,316 Australia June 27, 1956 211,494 Australia Nov. 15, 1957 1,142,335 France Mar. 25, 1957 

1. RAIL FASTENING MEANS COMPRISING A RAILWAY TIE ON WHICH THE RAIL TO BE FASTENED IS SUPPORTED, A CAVITY FORMED IN THE TIE AND HAVING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING ABUTMENT FACE FACING THE RAIL, A BLOCK DISPOSED IN THE CAVITY IN A FIRST POSITION AND HAVING AN AXIS WHICH OCCUPIES A GIVEN POSITION IN PLAN RELATIVE TO THE TIE IN WHICH GIVEN POSITION THE AXIS IS PARALLEL WITH THE RAIL, A FIRST FACE ON THE BLOCK IN ABUTTING RELATION TO THE ABUTMENT FACE, A SECOND FACE ON THE BLOCK ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE AXIS IN PLAN TO THE FIRST FACE AND CAPABLE OF ABUTTING THE ABUTMENT FACE WHEN THE BLOCK IS WITHDRAWN FROM THE CAVITY, TURNED THROUGH 180* IN PLAN AND PUT BACK IN THE CAVITY IN A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID AXIS AGAIN OCCUPIES SAID GIVEN POSITION RELATIVE TO THE TIE, THE ABUTMENT OF EITHER OF SAID FACES WITH THE ABUTMENT FACE PREVENTING THE BLOCK FROM MOVING RELATIVE TO THE TIE IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE RAIL, AN UPPER FACE ON THE BLOCK AND A RECESS IN THE UPPER FACE, A RAIL FASTENER HAVING ONE END DISPOSED IN THE RECESS, CLAMPING MEANS MOUNTED IN THE TIE AND IN CLAMPING RELATION TO THE FASTENER FOR HOLDING THE LATTER DOWN AGAINST THE RAIL, SAID RECESS BEING OFFSET FROM SAID AXIS IN PLAN TOWARD SAID FIRST FACE WHEREBY THE RECESS CAN BE PLACED NEARER THE RAIL BY TURNING THE BLOCK ROUND AND PLACING IT IN SAID SECOND POSITION. 